Sony Music’s U.S. label group has tapped super producer Rick Rubin to serve as the company’s “music czar,” overseeing the creative development of artists on its Columbia and Epic Records labels, four well-placed music industry sources said.

According to these sources, the deal with Rubin, who has worked with everyone from Johnny Cash to Metallica to the Beastie Boys, was signed about a month ago and could be announced as soon as this week.

The move, seen as a bold move by Rob Stringer, CEO of Sony Music’s U.S. label group, dovetails with the European Commission’s review of its approval of Sony’s merger with BMG in 2004. The EU’s antitrust agency will decide by March 1 whether to keep the merger in place or open a four-month probe to possibly dismantle it.

Bringing in Rubin isn’t expected to affect the BMG side of the joint venture since, as one source said, “there isn’t a creative position that crosses the whole company.” What’s more, Clive Davis, chairman and CEO of BMG in the U.S., might bridle at such a move.

But sources said Rubin’s arrival will impact current Columbia Records President Steve Barnett, who is expected to get a bump up in title but actually lose creative responsibilities. It is unclear what, if anything, will happen to Epic Records President Charlie Walk.

Rubin, the wild-bearded vegan who launched Def Jam with Russell Simmons from a New York University dorm room, previously distributed his American Recordings albums through Columbia. That deal now resides at Warner Music Group but presumably will have to be renegotiated or even ended now that he is joining Sony.